Canadian Schools with Norwegian Connections

The University of Alberta is the only university in Canada which offers a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Scandinavian, a Bachelor of Arts Combined Honors Degree in Scandinavian and a Bachelor of Commerce Degree/Major in European Studies-Scandinavian.

The Scandinavian Program at the University of Alberta offers courses covering the various levels of language instruction from beginning to advanced in Norwegian and Swedish. There are also courses in the cultures of these countries, including Denmark and Iceland, as well as different courses in the literatures of the Scandinavian countries. In addition, the Department offers linguistics courses dealing with the structure and history of the Scandinavian languages. These courses aim to provide students with a thorough knowledge of the language, the culture and literature of the Scandinavian countries in the context of a liberal arts education.

The Augustana Campus of the University of Alberta has one of Canada’s few university programs in Scandinavian Studies with a focus on the Norwegian language. Founded by Norwegian immigrants in 1910, Augustana is an undergraduate liberal arts and sciences campus which offers a unique major in Modern Languages which combines two of four languages: Norwegian, French, German, Spanish. A minor in Scandinavian Studies is also available, and Augustana students may study at numerous institutions in Norway including Telemark University College in Bø, Telemark, the University of Oslo and the University of Bergen.

Courses in Scandinavian Studies are small, and students receive personal attention. Course offerings include Norwegian language (Beginners’, Intermediate and Advanced), Scandinavian Culture, and a wide-variety of Scandinavian literature courses such as Scandinavian Folk Literature, Personal Narratives of the North, Viking-Age Mythology and Scandinavian Crime Fiction.

Weekly Norwegian language lunches and a student-led Scandinavian club provide students with opportunities to experience the Norwegian language and Scandinavian culture in informal settings. The Modern Languages Programs gives senior language students opportunities to assist other students in their language learning by working in the language lab.

The University of British Columbia (UBC) is one of North America’s largest public research and teaching institutions, and one of only two Canadian institutions consistently ranked among the world’s 22 best universities. Surrounded by the beauty of the Canadian West, it is a place that inspires bold, new ways of thinking that have helped make it a national leader in areas as diverse as community service learning, sustainability and research commercialization. UBC offers more than 56,000 students a range of innovative programs and attracts $550 million per year in research funding from government, non-profit organizations and industry through over 8,000 projects and grants.